


Lotus-Eaten Potcard

by Corvueros



Category: Prospect (2018)
Genre: A little bit of angst??, Dirty Talk, Exhibitionism, F/M, Light Angst, Reunion Sex, Rough Sex, Shameless Smut, but you're picking up what i'm laying down, i guess?? idk what to categorize fucking in a tent, spitting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:15:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29706696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corvueros/pseuds/Corvueros
Summary: Postcards left on your doorstep catapult you into a chase lightyears across the galaxy in search of something more precious than the ore you mine for.
Relationships: Ezra (Prospect 2018)/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	Lotus-Eaten Potcard

According to the droid, the first postcard arrived three months ago.

It had been raining on Diatis when you caught the transport back up to it’s orbiting freighter. You trudged up the lanes with a dissatisfying wet slosh, exhaustion pouring off of you in waves. You could still feel the build up of dirt caked under your nails, leaving your hands stiff and dry in the cold recycled air. 

You have only  _ dreamed _ about returning to your pod, to the bed you’ve made comfortable after years of use. Your body ached and you had lost feeling in your legs by the time you reached the stretch of hallway that housed your pod. She truly was a sight for sore eyes.

Your fingers find the keypad outside of the door, punching in the code with practiced swiftness when your tired mind finally caught up with you. There, flapping in the recycled air of the freighter was a card of some sort. Haphazardly crammed in the slot of your door, you inwardly cringed at the thought of it being some sort of dreaded notice or worse, a bill. Sun-washed and creased, it shook in the recycled air of the freighter but clung resiliently. A frown tugged your lips but upon turning it over, your brows knit together in curiosity. 

Pressed into the faded cardstock was a photo of Einhora-7, a scene from one of their many sprawling cities. You’d been before, rather unimpressed with the view and it being riddled with tourist traps. It certainly didn’t give you the feeling of ‘ _ bathing in the tranquil light of the ringed moons,’ _ or whatever it was playing over their speakers every hour. You couldn’t be bothered to remember. 

But a  _ postcard? _ Real, physical letters were few and far between, deemed entirely unnecessary when you could just as easily send a holo-message. Letters are an on-world commodity, the process is harder in space but there are ways to make it happen. It set your teeth on edge thinking about someone knowing your pod’s chain code for something like this. Not many people knew it, you could count them on one hand. 

However, the card was tenderly addressed to an ‘ _ old friend.’ _

“ _ Dear old friend,  _

_ The slings around the Einhorain moons are abhorrently lacking without your commentary and dry wit, I’m afraid. It’s been 536 days since I last laid eyes on you, if I’m not mistaken. It seems like the passage of time had slipped me, unable to keep track of days anymore as the cycles just blend into one long haze.  _

_ I thought I saw you a few days ago, you and that wide-brim hat with the red sash, the one I adore on you so much. I thought I caught a glimpse but lost you when I turned around. It seems I’m conjuring ghosts now, Treasure. I suppose that’s why I’m writing this at all, because maybe, against all odds you saw me too. _

_ My dreams are with you.``  _

You’d been staring at it for too long now, leaving it on the table and moving to eye it suspiciously from across the room. You almost convinced yourself it was a mistake...but something was so  _ achingly _ familiar about the fond words that it made you second guess. You didn’t recognize the handwriting, it was honestly sloppy and smudged to hell but something about it made your chest hollow. 

Nothing came to you- not at first. Until you looked at the picture again. Then you remembered the company you kept while occupying the moon. It was a prospecting company, but more importantly, it was Ezra. 

The thought punched the air out of you and you deflated into your chair. You didn’t even want to entertain the thought, but your mind ran away with you. You haven’t heard anything from Ezra in so long,  _ too long _ . 

It sure sounded like him, with his flowery prose and everything, not to mention it had to be around a year and half since you last saw him. It made sense, but at the same time, no sense at all. Why wouldn’t he have just...called by now? 

You float over to the comm across the room and watch yourself punch in his chain code, like you had months before only to listen to the signal bounce back and forth for hours. The same dull tone rang far too loudly in your ears, five minutes pass without an answer and you feel yourself tearing up, tossing the comm away in defeat. 

Just like the past year, no answer. 

You felt stupid for even entertaining the idea, of course he would call first if-

_ If he was still alive.  _

Suddenly you were tired, dead on your feet and fighting with yourself. And you smelled terrible, your shower beckoning you like a siren to the sea.You went to bed that night curled up tightly; trying not to imagine him wrapped around you with his face buried in your neck.

_ It’s not him, it couldn’t be him.  _

You kept telling yourself that until the very next day when another postcard was stuck in your door.

Your caf went cold as you stared at it from its place on your tabletop. Sitting innocently next to the other postcard you’d scrutinized over the night before.

This one was adorned with a sun-washed view of Pallo’s sandy dunes with the very same capitalized handwriting. 

“ _ My friend,  _

_ As much as I enjoyed trekking through the desert with you all those years ago, it is exponentially better when you have an updated map and guide. _

_ Admittedly, I haven’t the faintest idea if your pod is registered still or if you’ve moved onto whatever adventure has captivated your bright mind. I’ll wait for these to bounce back but in the meantime, my dreams are your playground. _

_ -E _

_ P.s If you were wondering, the food is just as bad as you remember. A man on the transport gave me a knowing look when I rejected his offer of ‘the local delicacy’ when the lad beside me ended up having to empty the contents of his stomach in a remarkable twenty minutes.”  _

__ Desperate hope bubbled up in your chest again, no matter how hard you tried to shove it away. But you let it consume you anyway: Ezra was alive somewhere out there. 

Sending these postcards made no sense but, you couldn’t help but be grateful. As cryptic as it was, it was enough. Didn’t change the fact it was just a postcard, though. Your confusion only grows when you still receive no answer when you comm him. 

Something about it seemed deliberate, yet wary. Sending it through a rather unreliable transit, opposed to a direct call. It was unlike the kaleidoscopic man you know to be reserved in his intentions. You wanted to ache with relief but something about it didn’t sit right with you. You weren’t going to be satisfied until you set eyes on him yourself. 

You kept it by your bedside that night, looking at it until you fell asleep. 

The third postcard came only two days later.

_“Lodestone,_

_ I regret not seeking Vestus out sooner, I have missed it dearly. The nights are still warm and docks full. Spiced bread is still being baked at four in the morning and the bars are still seedy but we danced till our feet were sore anyway. Just as you left it.  _

_ They asked where you were and I wish I could have told them. They hosted the most splendid festivities, just like last time. Needless to say, I remember none of it.  _

_ The nights here are not the same without you though. _

_ -E” _

Reading it over and over again, you smile to yourself as you nursed your aching heart. Vestus was one of the last places you saw Ezra, a place with friendly faces and good company. The photo on the card was a familiar one. Standing inside the brightly colored bazaar, looking out at all the docks with their ships. The pair of you had gotten your palms read on a clear night by the docks, the spiraling smoke of the incense painted you both, huddled together in that small tent. The fortune-teller had called him your twin flame. Candle flames reflected in his eyes, melted wax on his skin.

It was him sending the postcards, no doubt about it. 

You call Dalo, one of Vestus’s long standing citizens within the hour. He seemed to expect your call. It was late in the evening when he answered, already wine drunk and spouting off endearments with a clumsy tongue. 

“How long was Ezra there?” You ask after greeting everyone in the room through the comm, another party of his by the sounds of things. If there was one thing Vestus never lacks, it’s partying. 

“Frankly too long, my dear,” His dramatic sigh rattled through the receiver, “and now here I am, left only with more grey hairs and less of my finer jewelry.” 

“My condolences,” you snip, you could hear the grin in your voice, “did he say where he was going next?” 

Dalo huffed on the other end of the line, “How should I know what he says half the time? He went on about the  _ great red jewel in the jungle _ \- or something like that.” Dalo pulled the receiver away from his ear to guffaw at something being said in the room.

“Anyway, nevermind those prospectors, are you coming down for the holidays?” He chittered mindlessly. 

“Haven’t come to a single one, you think I’m going to start now?” You chuckle when he grumbles, “I’ll be seeing you.” 

“It was worth a shot, I’ll pour one out for you.” You’re sure he will, right into his own glass. You love Dalo, but it’s more like the love you nurture for an unfortunate relative. 

The very next day, the fourth postcard arrived and it was just as you expected. It’s a worn photo of the red-roofed buildings of Kaccilia. The trees stretch up to the skyline, disappearing from view, leaving only the dewy city in the canopy. 

“ _ My girl, _

_ Mornings on Kaccilia are still foggy and quiet, but the sea is wonderfully raucous. The water a blue so deep it’s black, the white and teal seafoam bunching around the jagged rocks. The bonfires reached tall above the trees at night and the sparks looked like fireflies.  _

_ Admittedly, the fires were a lot less entertaining than what I remember, but that was only because you weren’t there to keep me occupied, I suppose. Every ember that tumbled in the breeze made me think of you and how you looked, simply melting in pleasure in my lap. I dream about you, dearest, with your seafoam hair and saltwater lips. It is all I ever want to feel.  _

_ -E” _

_  
_ Your face burned at the memory. Ezra curled over you, murmuring filthy things in your ear as he fingered you in his lap, under a thick wool blanket as you watched the grand flames lick up into the sky. Around you people danced, the ground shaking with their footsteps, and Ezra’s fingers curling into your pussy. Any time a spark came close to you, he’d soothe it away, cooing in your ear about how even when he takes you on the dewy bed of grass he wouldn’t let a single ember touch your skin. You remember his crooked smile and throaty chuckle when the sounds of your soaking pussy could be heard from under the blanket. You remember how tightly you clutched at his arm, nails biting into the taut muscle as you gushed around his fingers. 

_ “Indulge me, girl, let me hear how good I make your pussy feel.”  _

You pushed the card away, your heart hammering embarrassingly fast under your skin from the few words. but in that moment you made up your mind. You reckon it takes a few weeks for the postcard to even reach you, but that still means Ezra was on Kaccilia recently. Maybe recently enough where you could pick up a trail. You needed to see him again, if only to prove to yourself he was still alive.

The next morning you rise before the droids activate, detaching from the port and on course for Kaccilia. It takes far too long and by the time you’re docked, your nails have been bitten down to stubs and lips chewed raw. Kaccilia was a vast planet, with many ports and even more people. Signs were plastered all over the station, each one more confusing than the last and left you wondering whether or not anyone had any real idea about where they were going. 

So you went back to the basics, finding the nearest equipment rental stall to ask about the prospecting companies that have passed through. Thought it was no surprise when the man running the stall refused, saying something about  _ company confidentiality _ until you slid a few credits across the table. 

His lip curls, casting long shadows over his face under the fluorescent lights as he greedily accepts the payment, it wasn’t much but seemingly enough the get the words flowing. 

“Haven’t the faintest how many operations blow through here, you got a name?” 

You’ll do him one better, sliding a worn photo of you and Ezra across the table to him. He scrutinizes it for a moment, beady eyes narrowing comically at it before pushing it back. 

“Came through with a company and left about a month ago,” He broke off into a mumble as his fingers scratched at his patchy beard, “Something like Cali- Calihan? Maybe Calaban?” He turned away to reach for a faded yellow book, a log book by the looks of it. He flipped through it for a while, mumbling to himself until he pointed to a name triumphantly. 

“Calagher, yeah that was the one.” He snaps the book shut with the giggle, “Theo Calagher, rookie collector.” 

“You know where they went?” Why would Ezra be anywhere near a rookie cesspool like that? A place like that can’t be pleasant. 

“Nah,” he huffed, fingers rolling absentmindedly over a dirty cigarette, “Check the board though, got some high paying sons-a-bitches up there.” He nodded over to the paper-filled job board across the way. 

The board was chock-full of jobs open all over the planet, corporate names and private ones alike. But the highest paying gig was on Trore, a small desert planet in the Yazoth sector, one untouched by the rush. The page was torn off the board and stuffed into your pocket before turning away on your heel. It was the largest job, needed more than just a few spare hands and you were willing to bet they took it. You pray they took it, because right now it was your only lead. You only needed a way to confirm it. 

The nearest payphone was only steps away, the old technology barely standing out in the sea of travellers, neglected and covered in space dust. You dig the wrinkled page out of your pocket, smoothing it over your thigh as you looked at the coordinates given. It was the easteren sector of the gloomy planet and you found the station number written on the phone book, inked faded almost to nothingness. 

It rang for a while, the line obviously not having been used for many stands as you drum your fingers on the rusting metal. 

A sequence of code played, then their docking number before you heard a voice on the other end. 

“Trore-45 outpost 3 speaking,” the droid slurred, it’s static filled voice crackling through the speaker.

“Has Calagher passed through here? Theo Calagher, company chain code three-four-seven?” 

“Affirmative. Holed up in the west-end.” 

“Patch me through.” 

“Patching you to their medical outpost. Stand by.” 

The medical outpost? Is that really the only comm number they have on file? The dial tone rang loudly in your ears, cringing as you pulled the receiver away from your ear. 

There was a click and a crackled sigh, “Calagher company, med bay.’ 

“Trore-45 outpost, I’m looking for a prospector in your settlement,” You bite the inside of your cheek, pleading with them silently to just give you the information without a hassle. You were banking on the fact he was an underpaid employee and willing to give you the information for a fee. 

“Yeah? Shoot, should have files on them somewhere.” The man on the other side of the line sounded more than uncaring, willing to share information just to appease his boredom. 

“His name is Ezra,” you were about to list off his height, eye color and blood type but the man chuckled, it crackled through the speaker roughly. 

“Ah yeah, Ezra! Lookin’ at him right now.” 

“Really?” excitement palpable in your voice, “Can you put him on?” 

“Huh? Well, I guess so-” He clears his throat, you hear him turn away from the speaker to bark Ezra’s name. 

A beat of silence passes and there is some rustling and two voices, “It’s a lady from outpost 3, asked for you.” You hear him grumble something, but the static is too thick to make it out but you don’t hear him again. 

You can’t help the way your mouth becomes dry, heart pounding in your throat. Another pause. There's a shuffle before you hear his voice crackle through the receiver.

“Now, if this is one Madam Callum,” You smile at the distaste behind his drawl, “I must insist you stop calling simply to accuse me of relieving you of your worldly possessions when your  _ husband _ was within generous distance to witness the act! And yet, I’ve heard nothing from him.” 

“Very convincing, but she probably has reasonable doubt.” You were hoping to sound a bit more steady but your watery smile betrays you.

A little choked noise echoes through the speaker, followed by a small pause. That was your only moment of reprieve until the dam bursts. You wish you could have been prepared for the way he murmured your name through the phone. So softly, like it was only a secret for the two of you. The syllables sounded achingly sweet dripping from his lips, echoed with such reverence it made your pulse roar in your ears. 

Your eyes close at the sound, it has been so long since you’ve heard him say your name and you can’t stop the smile that spreads across your face. The back of your head tilts back against the wall behind you, savoring the mere moment with him. It’s like you’d forgotten how to breath up until now. 

“I got your postcards.” Your voice was sickeningly soft, like he hadn’t just crumbled your entire resolve with one utter of your name. 

“So you did…” Ezra murmurs softly, “I didn’t think they'd even make it into your hands, let alone bring you to find me,” he was beginning to talk faster, his words sounding a bit breathless, “How- just how did you come to find me?” 

“Not easily, thank you very much,” you huff, making eye-contact with the local pickpocket who’d been eyeing you from across the hall.

“You’re truly here?” His voice dropped into a whisper, rasp heavy in the static.

“Of course.” 

_ Of course _ you say like it’s nothing, like he didn’t just have to work up the nerve to ask because he was afraid the answer would be no. 

“Is that alright?” You ask, he didn’t exactly seem enthused by your response and you really didn’t even think for a second that maybe he was wary of you coming. 

“Of course, dear heart, but that is not the dilemma we face.” He missed you far too much to let his anxieties get the better of him, “Here? The work I’ve found is not a cordial event, hardly even a workable one at that. Don’t be foolish about this, dove, think about it-” 

“You think I haven’t?” Think about what? Bold of him to think you haven’t thought about this for hours in the wee hours of the morning when you couldn’t sleep. You’ve put more thought into him than most things in your life, “So you sent those postcards and it never occurred to you that I would try to find you? So let's start here: Are you okay?” 

“I’m alive.” he says and the pit in your stomach grows. 

“Not what I asked.” 

“It is the truth.” 

“Apparently so, new information to me.” You can’t help yourself, “What happened?” 

His sigh crackled through the comm, “I was foolish, girl, I rue the day I ever took that job. Not a speck to show for it either, only a long recovery.” 

“Recovery?” You didn’t like the sound of that, “That’s why you’re with that sleaze-ball Calagher?” 

“Can’t really be picky.”

“Sure you can.” Nonsense, with his talents, you had half a mind to take him back to Diatius with you, “Listen, tell Calagher I worked with him on Nion 8, line digger, he’ll buy it and I can at the very least get into the camp for a job.” Your tone left no room for argument, which was exactly what part of him wanted to hear. 

That same part of him knew his anxieties were unfounded, he knows you and your affection. He dreamt about you on the Green, even more after escaping, of you sweeping through his door with your wide smile and clever eyes. But the nerves still tumbled in his throat, he knew he wouldn’t lie to you about exactly what happened on the Green, not like everyone else. It was those terrible moments that haunt him and make him afraid that one morning he’ll wake up stranded on that spinning rock again. He’s just  _ not ready _ -

“Ez?” You sound almost anxious, he realized he never responded.

“I have a five month contract still standing, I will not ask you to stay through the duration of my employment under Calagher,” he says and it’s truthfully the only good argument he could come up with. 

The contract? He was worried about the  _ contract? _ You alone have broken more contracts than you could count, and as far as you knew so had he. It wasn’t like him to be so concerned about a job with conditions like this. You would take him with you, back to the university if you had the chance. You picture him sitting in their grand library, lounging in the sun with a book in hand. But the image faded, he seemed so sure about staying and finishing out his contract. 

“If you don’t want this, tell me now and I will leave you alone to do this but-” The thought alone tears through you and makes you choke, you thought he was  _ dead, _ for fucks sake, “I won’t be far, if you needed anything.” More than anything, you trusted Ezra’s judgment and reasoning behind things, you owe him that much. Even if you didn’t fully agree. 

Your words inspire something violent, his hand white knuckling the comm. The thought of you coming may have scared him but the thought of you leaving again? He knew it would break him. 

“ _ No _ ,” his voice did not waver and he was thankful, “I simply wanted to know if you were sure. Convincing Calagher will take next to nothing, leave that to me, Sunny.” The fondness in his tone was unmistakable and your heart swelled. It’s been so long since you’ve heard his sweet moniker for you, and it warmed you to your very core. You let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding.

“When can you get here?” He asks, his hopeful excitement bubbled over the dread, “Trore is an exuberant specimen and teaming with gems, I reckon we’ll be stationed here another few months.” He felt greedy, like he was roping you into this but the promise of seeing you again burned brightly enough to blind him to reason.

“I can be there tomorrow night.” You can’t help the smile tugging at the corners of your mouth.

“Not soon enough,” was his soft reply. You had to agree. 

“Soften Calagher up for me, yeah? I know he’ll try and rope me into some long tenure but I’ll do what I can to make sure I stay.” You quene your ship for passage off the port, “I’ll be there soon, _ wait for me _ .” You promise and place the comm back on the receiver. 

Ezra stood by, clutching the phone long after the line went dead. His palm sweats something awful and he wanted to be overjoyed. Overjoyed that he may see you again far sooner than he realized, but something twists in his gut and washes him in a wave of nausea. Seeing you again, bright and restless as always had him nervous. The last thing he wanted was for you to pity him, anyone but you. His right shoulder jumped, he felt restless.

He’d been banking on the fact you may not have gotten his postcards, or that they had gotten lost. He didn’t even know why he sent them in the first place. He knew you’d come looking if you had gotten them, but his loneliness had won out. His desire to see you at least one more time leaving him bare and vulnerable. But you actually coming here to look him in the eye? It made his hand shake more than usual. He wanted to preserve his memory of you and separate it from his horrors from the green. 

He places the comm back on the receiver with a shaky sigh. He is alone in the medcenter, the staff having gone to take care of a group just coming back from another site miles away. 

You sounded so assured in your words, promising him something he’s thought about to help him fall asleep at night without so much as a second thought as to what the consequences of your actions might have on his weary soul. But the last thing he would ever want was to give up the chance to see you again, sunshine smile and all. 

He stepped out of the tent, the sand under his feet giving way bit by bit as well as his resolve. It would take next to nothing to convince Calagher to hire you on, with your experience and resume. Ezra’s seen him hire criminals who’d just touched a scalpel for the first time that week, he hired Ezra afterall. 

Ezra walked the well-used path to the center of the camp, having gotten used to its twists and turns in his time here. He would heed your instructions, convincing him you had been on Nion 8 would be a breeze. The visibility on that planet was low all hours of the day, a dense fog permeating over the planet’s surface being the saving grace he needed. 

Ezra found him leaning over one of the diggers in the south-end site. He gripped one of the levers with ease, making sure it doesn’t stall part way through the cycle. He sees Ezra and acknowledges him with a tight grimace.

“What?” his foul mood oozed off him, purple rings around his swollen eyes, “Can it wait?”

“Of course,” Ezra snippered, “However, I have someone to fix the digger on the west-end, should you need it.” He said flippantly, but he knew he had Calagher’s attention when he straightened and abruptly shut down the rig. 

“Walk with me,” he said before abruptly turning on his heel and headed back into the center of camp with Ezra at his heels. 

“Who is it?” Ezra kept pace with him easily, watching him hobble with an air of amusement. 

Ezra gave your chain code and the name you had associated with it, “Worked as a line digger on Nion 8 for you, can do maintenance and run the site, she’s more than qualified.” 

“I’m not looking for someone to run the site, just a mechanic.” 

“So you’re saving the job for someone else?” Ezra egged him on.

“What? No of course not-” He huffed and shot Ezra a glare, “I can’t afford to pay more than a line digger.”

“You won’t have to.” Ezra argued, he knew better than most your efforts were worth more than a line digger’s paycheck but it was the only way.

Calagher was silent for a moment, trying his very best to process the information needed to form a response. It was tiring to watch. 

“Fine,” Calagher grounds out after a moment, “How far out is she?” 

“She’ll be here by tomorrow night.” Ezra’s pulse spiked under his skin when he remembered that you were on your way, and fast. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. 

“I’m not upping the pay.” 

“Of course not.” Calagher frowned at him but Ezra only blinked innocently in response. 

Calagher huffs and turns back to the mouth of the tent, “Yeah, yeah, you better hope for your sake she shows up, I’ve already wasted too much time on this.” 

\-----

The port station was near deserted. The droids made it feel like some sort of ghost town, creaking with age as they went about their monotonous tasks. The only full blown harvesting team on-world was Calaghers company, thanks to him greasing the pockets of whatever form of government they had here. The planet hardly had any real inhabitants outside of the natives, so only the droids remained, covered in rust and atmospheric dust. 

You landed without trouble, the hanger was well-kept and a mechanic team was ready and waiting to run diagnostics on your ship. It seemed to be safe, much to your relief. You don’t know what you would have done if you found out it was some deadly gaseous planet which no human should have been inhabiting, and Ezra had been here all alone. Well, you don’t really know if he’s here alone. In fact, he might be among friends in Calagher’s team of outlaws and thieves. You tried not to let the worry build up even more in your gut. 

A dry planet like Trore bred a special kind of gem, a distant cousin of the aurelac that riddled mossy planets, that shined brighter than the sun itself, the pigments from the chloroplasts mimicking the bright yellow light in the planet's suns. The gem was clear, unclouded and a fashion statement for high society. Rightfully so, it was beautiful but it hardly made any difference whether or not it was the most expensive and beautiful gem in the galaxy, when you’d been under the cruel sun for hours at a time for some gem that’ll eventually hang heavy between some aristocrats' tits. Which, now that you think about it, wouldn’t be a bad life after all. Look at you, envious of a theoretical  _ object. _

That being said, the thought of toiling away under the sun for hours at a time was the most unappealing task you could think of. Maybe...maybe you could convince Ezra not to stay. You hadn’t really thought about what to do once you actually found him, he had found work here and work has been harder and harder to come by these days. Subconsciously, you  _ were _ ready to just take him with you, no questions asked. 

Your eyes darted between the beeping terminals and the faces of old hired prospectors. You felt sand in your socks and the feeling of unease settling deep into your gut. Everything was so cramped, there's hardly enough shelter for all those hired on. No place for a seasoned prospector like Ezra to be. The longer you thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Why in Kevva’s name would he be here of all places? 

Even so, you wanted to trust his judgment. You’d stay and find him, the rest was up to him. If he stayed, so would you. 

You breathe deeply, if all went according to plan, Ezra should have at least talked to Calagher about the job so he should know you are coming. Getting in shouldn’t be a problem, all that's left is to ask around about the coordinates of the site. 

But Ezra sees you first. He rounded the corner looking for the transport that just arrived, trying to find any sign of you. Ezra’s breath rushed out of his lungs when he’d looked over the spacious room. Taking a double-take, he thought the dessert had painted his very own mirage before his very eyes but  _ oh. _

Oh, how he's missed being pinned by your gaze. The things he’d do to make sure it falls on him and never leaves. He couldn’t do much else besides watch you from across the way, even when every part of him screamed to jump up and run to you. The second your eyes meet, his breath leaves him in a pathetic wheeze. 

You stumble towards him, for the first time since getting those postcards you feel like you can finally breathe because he’s here, he’s  _ okay- _

A whisper of his name was already pushing past your lips as you grappled him, unabashed when there was only the droids to judge your desperation. You couldn’t even peel your eyes away from his face long enough to care and those intentions shriveled up and died in your throat as Ezra’s gaze rose meekly to yours. 

He somehow looked decades older and had grown thin, his eyes glossy and heavy. A terrible weight settles in your chest as you looked him over, exhaustion dripping off him and-

Your fingers dig into a hollow sleeve and Ezra’s face falls. 

_ Oh. _

Words well up in your throat but all you could think about was how very close you might have come to losing him without even knowing. The thought made you grit your teeth in silent sorrow that ebbed into a wave of hot anger. Not for him, never for him, but for waiting to find him as long as you did. You wanted to fall to your knees before him and beg for forgiveness. Forgiveness for making him  _ wait so long _ . 

Ezra watches as your face hardens, looking him square in the eye with a fierceness that both scared him and warmed him to his very core. Even in the face of your hardened edges, he wanted to burst into a fit of giggles simply because he’d forgotten how thrilling it was being swept into your chaotic orbit. After so long it felt strange to smile so widely, he couldn't remember the last time laughter bubbled in his throat. His chest ached looking at you again-  _ he missed you so much. _

“It’s good to finally see you again, Sunny.” 

You didn’t even know what to say. His skin had paled and you could just about fit your fingers around his wrist, the  _ one _ wrist he had. 

“ _ Ezra _ , what have you gotten yourself into?” Your tone melted him, your hands coming up tentatively to reach out to him and he preened at your gentle touch. You said it so softly that only he could hear it, not that anyone else was on the platform but you whispered it like a fond and exasperated guardian, scolding him gently for causing trouble. 

“Quite a bit, I’m afraid.” 

“Why didn’t you call? Or- or maybe,” you stop and take a step back with a huff, pushing the hair away from your face, “Fuck Ez, I don’t know? Put a damn return address- just  _ something _ ?” 

“And yet, here you stand.” His eyes are tired but you could see his smile reach them, a small one just for you, “a perfect mirage.” 

“How long have you been here?”

“Seven months.” The answer came easily. It was the first time he’d been honest about how long it’s been since escaping that cursed moon with his little bird. He felt like a child again, wanting to hide himself away from the pity he knows is in your eyes. He doesn’t want it, not from you and he thinks it might finally break him to see you look at him like some wounded animal. 

“Long enough then,” you say stiffly.

“Maybe so, but they are the only ones who’d take me.” The resignation in his voice had you aching something fierce. You understood now why he wanted to stay, he needed to relearn his trade the best he could. He seemed so steady in his words you felt a pang of guilt for wanting to take him away from it when he seemed so sure, but looking around that guilt didn’t stay very long. 

He looked noticeably skinnier, those protein bars alone not enough to sustain a healthy weight. You felt this massive space opening up between you, even if you were only feet apart. The air had never felt more stagnate between the two of you but...what do you say?  _ I’m sorry it took me so long? _ Or  _ why didn’t you call?  _

It was the guilt of not coming sooner, not walking a little faster to meet him here, that was eating you alive. Maybe you should have looked for him all those months ago when he stopped responding. But the longer you stand there, the more uncomfortable it is. But not from his company, it was everything else. You felt eyes on you and too out in the open. 

“Do you want to be here?” You are almost afraid to say it aloud. Your hands didn’t waver, he would have noticed because it’s all he could bring himself to watch. 

“I’m afraid I don’t have much choice.” Was his immediate response, already resigned to a fate he can change.

You hummed in acknowledgment, a soft and soothing tone and nothing else. There wasn’t ever a time you could remember Ezra pulling away into himself, scared. You’ve never seen this kind of fear oozing from him like an open wound. You’ll never forgive yourself if the reason he was so scared was because of you. All at once, you feel that caustic fierceness returned to your blood, a fierceness only he inspired in you. It used to scare you. Now, you’ve sat with it until it became docile again in the cool space without him. Yet it never disappeared, just tempered. It calcified into something solid, dare you say permanent. Permanence is the true treasure of a drifter. 

But now, it roared explosively back to life. He’d been alone for that long? Alone among drifters trying to piece mosaics back together with the wrong tools. A sulfurous taste settled in the back of your mouth at the thought, but you reasoned with yourself, he won’t be alone again. You felt yourself fall into a long-forgotten routine like you were back years before where no planet or prospect was too unfamiliar with him with his back to yours. 

“Yes,” you say firmly, closing the space and bursting the pressure, “Yes, you do.” You hated how he tried to take up as little room as possible, instead of leaning into your space as he used to whenever you were near. You gave him room to breathe, only hovering on the outside of his space but your hand itches to reach out and take his hand in yours.

“And leave another contract broken?” Bitterness colored his voice as his glare burned through the floor of the tent, “I do not have the same luxury I once did when I owned two opposable thumbs-” 

“You’re really worried about your contract?” You ask incredulously, you’ve seen him rack up quite the impressive list of broken contracts you know that for a fact, “That's bullshit and you know it, you can do better.” 

He said nothing at all, lip caught between his teeth. Ezra desperately wants to believe you, but after so long, even you sitting so close has his throat closing up. Like he was waiting for you to lash out. As soon as the thought crossed his mind he felt sick, looking up to meet your gaze. No, you wouldn’t slash away at his already weak joints, not like a stranger would. Your eyes were soft, how he’d missed them and it was almost too much how much warmth they held for him. 

“You know that, don’t you?” you whisper tenderly to him, and his pout pulls up, lip quivering and you found your limit. You gently, slowly, gather him close as your arms wrap around him. A wet shuddering sob shakes his whole body, he had no idea he’d been so cold. 

It’s like his body was remembering how to be held by you when yours had never forgotten. His arm banded around your back, returning the embrace with a fierce strength that pinned you to him as he buried his face into the side of your neck. 

“You have a choice, but regardless of what happens, I will stay,” you promise him in a whisper, any louder and he wouldn’t have been the only one to hear your worship. 

And for a moment, he’s no longer standing in the middle of some cold, spacious port. He burrows his face against your temple, inhaling softly he can almost smell the stars on your skin. He wanted to surround himself with you, press himself into the space in your arms you’ve made just for him, and never leave. The lingering smell of herbs and firewood brought tears to his eyes, it had been so long since Kevva allowed him to be held like this. 

“If…” Your voice is small as you feel his back move with each breath, “If you want me to.” this may be something Ezra needs to face on his own, his own shadow, and if so… then you would leave. You’d leave and wait for him, you’d leave him here to face it himself, you… you would- 

“Please let me stay,” you plead with him.  _ I’ve missed you.  _

He was already nodding into the soft fabric of your shirt, “Stay,” he pleaded, “right here,  _ stay. _ ” He didn’t care about the dig or the contract and more, his body ached and he knew he could find sanctuary in you. 

When you did pull away, it wasn’t far, only enough to get a good look at him again. You wanted to burn his form into your retinas and keep it forever. Your thumbs reach up to stroke his cheek, the most pleasant smile tugging on his lips. 

“I am overjoyed to see you again, my sun,” He rasped, “it feels like I’ve been waiting an eternity.” 

“I didn’t mean to keep you waiting,” you say honestly, past mistakes will haunt you but now, you have the present to get through before you can beg your forgiveness. 

“Nonsense, you are right on time.”  _ Always arriving exactly when you should and not a minute too soon.  _

\---

The sun hung low in the sky when you finally stepped foot in the camp's perimeter, you could hear voices all around you, in the nearby tents and from those milling about. You were right about it being cramped, but you didn’t think it was  _ this bad. _

By the time you saw his tailcoat, it was too late and Calagher was staring you down suspiciously a few tents down. Face twisted into a scowl, he marches over with heavy steps as he studies you. 

He seems to actually recognize you to your horror as he huffs and relights his cigarette, “Nion, right? Place was a glorified dust cloud.” His voice was hoarse, smoke billowing out his nose, “If you stayed through that, you’ll do fine here- walk with me.” He turns away, leaving you and Ezra to follow his long strides. 

“You know the drill, contracts and all of that fun but uh,” Calagher lowers his voice a bit, “sign and seal later, I need you on this shift.” The defeat in his voice wasn’t any different than it was all those years before, his habit of picking up strays and criminals to work for him biting him in the ass. Well, you suppose it wasn’t his fault for being so easy to steal from. Not from personal experience, of course. 

Still didn’t soothe your crawling skin as Calagher led you both further and further into the maze of tents and equipment strewn about. The line of tents disappeared, the last few scattered away from the rest until sand turned hard under your feet. Chipped sandstone emerged from the lofty slopes, prospectors scattered around under the little patches of shade they could find to escape the beating sun. The back of your neck was hot with its warmth, drawn to the dark jacket shielding you from its harsh rays.

Calagher makes a hard right and the ground is gaped open only feet away. The stone had given way to a wet river of sand that pushed through the aqueducts littered around the planet. The scared pit was surrounded by all sorts of mining equipment and inside five people dug into the marred ground. Two sat on the outside perimeter, extracting the gems from their fleshy prisons. 

“Finish extracting the last of the batch, should last you till the end of the shift.” Calagher waves noncommittally as he turns away on his heel, hobbling over to the transport waiting to take him back to the main camp. 

“How long are your shifts?” you ask Ezra, watching Calagher off unable to starve off the grimace on your face.

“Six hours, but the shifts almost up,” his sly grin was infectious, “lucky us.” It dropped just as quickly as it appeared as he started towards the extraction stations. Together, you guide the next batch over beside the stations and lay them out on the durasteel plates. Ezra had returned the empty tray to the shift before returning. 

Watching him approach, meek and shadow-like, broke a piece of your heart. But he glanced up at you, catching your gaze and holding it for longer than he had before. It was a somber and delicate thing, like a bird tentatively landing on your outstretched palm and just as precious. 

The sun, not so large any more, peeked over the hills and bathed the sand in an orange glow, warming the side of Ezra’s face so brilliantly you simply wanted to sit and stare to burn the image in your retinas. His hair had grown much longer than you’d ever seen it before, the soft unruly curls sticking out all over the place warmed you so much more than you expected. 

You sat side by side, Ezra easing down on a small crate to hunch over the fleshly organism as you pick up the small scalpel-like tool, “It’s been awhile since I’ve done an extraction.” you admit quietly to him, watching the others milling around casually before the shift was up. 

He responded by leaning closer, he felt almost giddy if it wasn’t for the coiling in his stomach, to be sitting here whispering like gossiping midwives. Something he could have only  _ dreamed _ of on the Green. Something he craved so desperately, he’d carry on conversations by himself just imagining you were there with him. 

“Is that so? I take it you’ve pursued other opportunities, then?” He ached to hear what you’ve done, he ached for the normalcy he hoped it’d bring by hearing it. 

You relented easily, “I got offered a job, from one of the universities,” it was such a drastic change of pace from harvesting it made you uneasy at first and, not that you’d tell him, you called him every night from the outpost station just in case he suddenly answered, “a research dig out on Cion.” 

The smile he gave you was heartbreaking. 

“Well done, Sunny.” The words are only meant for your ears, low and felt like the sun he so fondly dubbed you as, “finally something to placate your hungry mind, yes?” The pride in his voice only brought the sting of tears to your eyes because you  _ don’t care. _ All the academic papers and stability were worth their weight in dirt when he’d been suffering alone and afraid. You did not mirror his smile and he could see the frustration through your glassy eyes. 

He gave a shuddering, wet sigh as he looked down at the solution sloshing around in the bottle he held. He suddenly felt cold, the chill of night getting to him for the first time and he desperately wanted to lean into the warmth that oozes off of you and blanket himself in it. 

He doesn’t think before the words come spilling out of his mouth, “The first cut isn’t a problem, not any more,” He splits the first layer of skin of the husk, the inner membrane pale and pink glitters in the low light, “But the gland-” He lets out a humorless chuckle. 

“Can’t even get within range before my hand grows a mind of its own it seems,” He pauses when the blister is exposed, trying to find a grip on the scalpel, “I’ve… I’ve only done a successful extraction twice. The rest were so botched it wasn’t even worth the energy.” For Kevva's sake, he could already feel his hand beginning to tremble, the knot in his shoulder heavier than the planets hanging overhead. 

You abandoned your station, and kneeled on his other side with your hands coming up to hold the organism in place. 

“Go on,” You prompt him, “Let me see how you do and I’ll step in and correct.” Ezra could almost hear your professors and teachers through your voice as you directed him to begin, patient and safe. 

He did as you instructed, most of his effort having to be directed to keeping a steady pressure. As soon as he went around the curve of the round blister, his fingers twitched but you reached up to cover his fingers with your own and helped him carve out the rest of it. The fazer solution is doused over the gem’s shiny face, clearing away debris with a sizzle. 

It felt so much more natural, instead of the usual twenty minute struggle with little reward. Your leg rests against his own, the weight so unbelievably grounding he didn’t realize he’d been floating before. 

“You’ve almost got it on your own,” you let go of his hand but stayed close, “time will be your friend, Ez.” You promise him, but you can see the frustration built up in his tightly wound frame. 

“You won’t be attached at my hip forever, blue,” his words sounded bitter, but they came out anyway. 

“Maybe not, but I’ll be within arms reach.” Your response was already on the tip of your tongue and has been for ages only to be swallowed down every time, “Besides, you think some armature would be hard to make? Something attached to the plate and able to hold it still?” 

His defeat had worn him down to his very bones, blinded him like the large suns this planet orbited. You understood and wanted to be the wall between him and the harsh wind as he took time to mourn. He deserves to be cynical.

Because as lost as he may be, the glimmer in his eye when he looked at you still warned you about the wildfire of a man he is. Something he’s always been and something he kept alive on the Green, you’d kiss the heel of his palms thank him for waiting so long for someone to come stoke that fire. 

“I wouldn’t ask that of you,” he says quietly, staring at your hands. 

“I know,” you huff, “you don’t even have to, lucky you.” 

It was like getting a lung-full of air for the first time, a shuddering sigh wracked his whole body and your warmth consumed him completely. And he let it, let himself roll around in it like a cat in the sun. The planet felt smaller, less vast and imposing than it was before. 

“Oh Sunny,” he whispers to you, not even the cold wind could reach him here, “How do you always seem to know when to find me?” 

Your chuckle was warm and full, he devoured it like pine being thrown on a fire. 

“I should have come sooner.” You say, your dry chuckle dying on your lips and the intense weight in your gaze had him dizzy, “if I'd known you came _ here _ of all places.” you trailed off in a grumble, watching as the others passed around bottles of liquor that could pass as engine fuel.

“Oh? Is Calagher’s company not savory to you?” His voice sounded lighter than it had in months, you crinkle your nose in disgust, unable to answer when across the way a man stumbled over and heaved behind a rock. Ezra seemed to share your disgust and you shared a look.  _ What if- _

“Let’s go.” You say as soon as the thought passes your mind. 

It doesn’t even take him half a second to answer, “Of course.” Your grin split star clusters apart.

Nobody looked up when you both strolled away, along the shrubbery and up the dune towards the tents. The farther away you got, the more you relaxed. 

“Now you must tell me,” Ezra sounded giddy as fell in step with you, “How did you find me?” 

“You didn’t make it easy,” You scold, “I got back from Cion hardly a full cycle ago, I only saw the postcards when I got back and even then I almost chucked them-”

He let out a delightful giggle at that, “Now that would have done us good wouldn’t it?” 

“I thought they were bills, sue me.” You bite, “They all came pretty much days apart, though.” 

“So you tracked me down like a hunter with their prey,”  _ he was enjoying this, _ “How long did it take you?” His eyes sparkled in the low light, mischievous and beady. 

“Not long,” You said simply, watching how his smile only grew, “I followed your trail from Vestus and on, took me about two weeks.” You should have been faster, maybe then he wouldn’t have had to stay here alone a lot sooner. 

But Ezra seemed absolutely delighted at your admission, “You couldn’t have gotten here faster even if I had given you coordinates.” He grinned cheekily, arm brushing against yours and he couldn’t bring himself to move away. 

“I could have if you had called,” you reasoned, you don’t know why he didn’t and you couldn’t wrap your head around it, “I could have been here sooner, not- not that you needed me to but-” You started stumbling over your words as they flew from your lips faster and faster. 

“I was _ worried, _ for Kevva’s sake, I didn’t know where you went and all this time you’ve been dealing with this-  _ alone _ ?” You were searching his face for an answer, slowing to a stop on top of one of the many rolling dunes, “I don’t even know what I could have done for you but being there to… I don’t know, watch your back? For my sake at the very least?” You were rambling for sure but you are less embarrassed about it then if you had still been at the dig site. 

He stopped with you, his face falling a bit, “I should have called, Kevva knows I could have used you at my six, but I needed time.” 

“And that’s okay, don’t fault yourself for that,” You insist softly, “and at the end of the day I couldn’t give less of a damn, I’m just glad you reached out at all.” and that was the truth, you couldn’t fault him for needing to learn how to  _ live _ again. 

His fingers twitched when his hand brushed by yours, “I still find it hard to believe you aren’t some figment of my imagination, that you’re even here at all.” 

You frowned, is that why he seemed surprised to see you? Because he didn’t think you’d come to find him? Your fingers catch his as you begin walking again, your shoes sliding on top of the loose grains of sand, “Come on, you have a tent right?”  _ Like you wouldn’t have come to find him, what a foolish thought.  _

He nods and lets you tug him along until he strolls alongside you, fingers still linked together loosely, “You really intend on staying?” 

“Of course.” 

“You don’t have to, it’s under your pay grade anyway,” he says and you only shrug in response. He didn’t push anymore, he could see you had long since made up your mind about the matter. 

You started passing more and more tents scattered along the perimeter of the camp, the armed guards propped up in rusted lounge chairs weren’t very intimidating and didn’t even spare the two of you a glance once you reached the cluster of tents. 

Ezra led you clumsily through the maze of tents and strewn about equipement, glancing back over his shoulder at you with the glee of a child skipping class. Your legs tumbled after each other, shoulder rubbing together as you waited for foot traffic to pass, skin brushing skin. Ezra could cry. 

A bell tolled once you had reached the outskirts of the camp, the handing over of shift to the next crew as the planet rested in pleasant darkness. Fires of all sizes had been started to starve off the cold during the short nights, the largest being in the center of the camp right in front of Calagher’s _ HQ, _ as he likes to call it. Wasn’t much more than a glorified sweat lodge. 

The settlement opened up into a clearing, a large shelter set up over a table littered with papers. You see Calagher, hunched over the table along with three others. An older couple, sitting to the side watched with kind eyes as you approached. Ezra seemed to perk up at the group, strolling out to meet them as his fingers grasped yours, urging you to follow. The woman, blonde hair turned grey shimmering in the fire light gave you an unexpectedly warm smile before Calagher had looked up from the map. 

Calagher appraised you from over the top of his glasses, “Almost finished here, we need to talk.” He said simply before turning his attention back to the man in front of him, already jumping right back into conversation. _ Right, on your time then.  _

But Ezra moves in further, making a beeline to the older couple on the side. “Late night, I see?” His voice is light and warm, he must know these people. They seemed a little more  _ clean _ than most of the other scum here and probably some of the older harvesters you’ve seen in awhile. The profession isn’t kind to those who’ve aged with stiff joints, to be fair it’s not meant for most people but the fact remains that the young strike rich in prospecting. Before promptly getting robbed that is. 

You follow Ezra, they seem tame and pleasant. The man greeted Ezra warmly, a firm pat on his back as he tossed away the papers he was reading. 

“Yes well, apparently-” exaggerated irritation colored his voice, “something is blocking the stream passing through a village not far from here. _ Somehow _ the water has been polluted with chemicals like dissolvents, and they are blaming us.”

“Rightfully so,” the woman chirped, “we were told not to dump near the river and we did it anyway.” rolling her eyes, she glared at Calagher who very obviously pretended not to see. 

Ezra pulls you to his side, he introduces you with a flourish, a sunburnt smile gracing his features as he turns to you, “This is Juno and Nick Acosta, they merged with the company a few cycles ago,” Ezra shares a grin with you, “they are also my courteous neighbors.” 

They greet you warmly, with gentle crows-feet crinkling around their eyes, “Courteous is being a bit generous, but I’ll take it.” Nick grins, “Now, you were out on the east end today right? Did you run into any of the locals?” 

“Not a single one,” Ezra says and Nick seems puzzled. 

“Well that’s odd, I thought they’d march over to the closest site or something…” He turned back to the hastily scribbled notes in front of him on the table. 

“What a fine mess you’ve gotten yourselves into then,” Ezra murmurs to them, but Calagher heard him anyway and glared hotly as he stands. 

“It’s none of your damn business- and you,” he levels you with a hard look, “With me. Both of you.” Calagher leaves with arms full of papers and grumbling, making straight for a largest sprawling tent. 

Ezra gives you a shamelessly unbothered look as Calagher stomps away before turning back to Juno, giving her a sweet smile, “Don’t let him work you both to death.” 

You wave your goodbye as you follow Calagher’s stride. You pushed aside the tent flap and stepped inside, it was much warmer enclosed in the fabric walls but it was a proper mess. Extra equipment was thrown into piles in the corners, papers long forgotten under the folding table he’d set up in the center of the room. Filing cabinets lines the fabric walls, most of the left open in his frantic search for something. 

He turned back around with an irritated sigh, holding a small pile of papers. Your contract must be. Ezra follows behind you, his fingers ghosting your lower back as he steps up behind you. You didn’t say anything when his fingers clutch your shirt, fisting it tightly. 

“So, the next job is on Kebose but we have at least another two months here on Trore,” Calagher starts, “That leaves a five month contract or a seven month contract. Take your pick.” 

“Five.” You say immediately, no way you’d waste seven months here, Ezra would still have ended his contract months before yours would but you didn’t care. You’d bite the bullet and deal with the aftermath but there was no way you were staying the whole period. 

Calagher doesn’t seem surprised at your answer, only displeased. 

“A five month, huh?” he sounds weary and leans back into his chair, a ghost of a smirk on his face, “already have a helluva lot of  _ fivers  _ as it stands.” 

You figured he would try and push you into a longer contract, it was only good business after all. But Ezra brooded beside you. 

“So you won’t take someone who’s actually qualified to run the quarry?” Ezra argues and Calagher has never seen him so loose lipped, he knew he had it in him but he didn’t appreciate it being directed towards him. 

“I’m not looking for someone to run the quarry,” Calagher growls, “I need a mechanic for fucks sake-”

“I’ll run it all for the same rate.” You  _ needed _ him to hire you on, now that you were here you weren’t leaving Ezra again. Calagher’s jaw snaps shut at that, still irritated but he seems to have taken the bait. 

Until Ezra spoke again, “And if that’s simply not enough, add two months to my contract, half the rate.” 

You whip your head around to face him, it would make your contracts even but the last thing you wanted was for him to stay here even longer. You opened your mouth to hiss your objection, but Calagher laughed gleefully, the sound irritating to your ears. 

“Deal.”  _ You’ve got to be kidding.  _

Calagher looked absolutely delighted at the turn of events, pulling out a second contract and shoving both of the across the table to you. 

“Sign on the line and write your chip number.” He directed cockily but before he could get more comfortable in his chair, the tent flaps were pushed open hastily.

A very flushed Nick stood in the doorway, “The east end came into contact with some of the locals, they are confronting them now but they demand to speak to you.” He sounded like he’d just run miles, and maybe he had. 

Calagher scoffed but hurried out of the tent, “Sign that and leave it here, I want you two on the morning shift tomorrow.” he says before tossing his thrower over his shoulder and stomping away with Nick in tow.

And as soon as they left however, you whirl around and fix Ezra with a glare, “You’ve got to be kidding, why would you do that?” Ezra simply straightened his shoulders and looked cooly back on your heated gaze. 

“And leave you here for the last months of your stint? I refuse.” He snips with an unmistakable tone of fondness. 

“You need proper rest, Ezra,” You argue, “You could have stayed on the ship, close but safe.” But he just shook his head and peeled himself away from your side to amble up to the table. Picking up the pen, he scribbled some form of his name onto the page. 

“Rest is not a concern, I’ll do plenty once I’ve been able to make a living for myself.” He said sharply. 

You huff when he tosses the pen onto the front of your contract. You snatched it up and began flipping through its pages. Ezra didn’t so much as read his, but you settled yourself on the edge of the table. Truthfully, you weren’t all that concerned with the contract. You’d break it in a heartbeat if you so felt like it, your only real concern was Ezra and the tireless amount of work he seems to be doing without fully recovering. 

“I have few concerns, one of them is learning how to work again, once I get the basics then I can go back to better companies and enjoy my rest.” He sounds like he’s talking more to himself than to you.

You couldn’t help the slightly antagonistic snicker as your eyes scanned the contract, voice filled with humor as you read about protocol, payment,  _ more protocol,  _ “Ez, I know better than to question your loyalties when it comes to your livelihood-” 

“You. Loyal only to you.” He swore. Snapping back around to face you with a speed you didn’t know he possessed, he closed the space between you to stand in front of you, “I have left you once, I’d rather not do it again.” If there was ever one thing he wanted to make clear, it was his devotion to you. The words fly off his lips before he could stop them, not that he wanted to, but maybe with a little more tact next time.

Your throat closed as you looked at him with wide eyes, breath catching much too loudly and echoing in your ears. He held you to him, grip on your waist tightening as he looked you square in the eye, brows furrowed and swollen lips pulled into a frown. He looked almost angry if it wasn’t for the reverence he looked up at you with. 

“Only to you.” The words left his mouth in a whisper, a secret between the two of you. 

Words bubble up in your throat, fighting to come out all at once. A fierceness ignited in your chest that took you by surprise, never had there been such a need to spill your guts and lay it all out for someone. It terrified you. Made your blood sing in your ears and your pulse race in your fingertips and yet, all those words didn’t even begin to describe how you feel. You can’t sew together words like Ezra does, they are clumsy and charming at best and nothing like the tales he weaves for you. 

Watching your face with such dedication, the likes in which you’ve never seen so openly for you. The expressiveness in his eyes was almost too much, holding your gaze so preciously you almost couldn’t bear to hold it.

You had kept him waiting long enough, you think, surging up to press your lips to his. You don’t mean to make it so heated but you’ve never known anything more hellacious than the softness of his mouth and that spurs you on to pour everything you have out to him. 

You’ve known temptation and flirted with it daily but the way he opens up for you, hot and velvety, is the definition of  _ sin. _ No temptation had ever come close to this. And when he responded with equal fervor, you let yourself drown in it. His hand fisted itself tightly into your shirt and pulled you closer, standing between your legs and breaking the kiss. The string of drool that connected you puffy, swollen lips was a sight to behold, but not as much as Ezra’s flushed face and dark eyes. 

“Moon- _my_ _patient moon,_ please,” his eyes were wide and dark, “ _again.”_ He felt so warm wrapped up in you, he had forgotten how sweet you taste until he licked into your mouth. He wanted to get lost in it again, over and over until all he can think about is you. 

“Time has not scarred us, has it?” Ezra pleads against your lips, “time hasn’t barred me from your affections,  _ right? _ ” Had you spent too much time apart that you have forgotten what it was like to hold one another? You did not push him away like he feared, instead you cooed gently to him, coaxing his mouth to slant against your own. 

“Of course not,” you promise against his lips, a shiver running down your spine when he opens up like velvet under your caress. You hear his relief in the high moan you coax from him lovingly.

Outside of the tent you hear shuffling and voice, simply passing by as Ezra pushes the pen into your hands once again, urging you to sign. 

“Sign with haste, dreamscape, we have better places to be,” he sighed to you, moving away from your lips to kiss your cheek and whisper in your ear. And you have to agree, parting only to sign and push the paper away from you. It was done now, and you’d rather be anywhere but here. 

Ezra is already holding open the flap to the tent, holding it above your head when you pass under it and letting it fall closed behind him. His hand is a constant weight on your lower back as he starts to lead you both right. You can still see Juno sitting under the palavion, in deep conversation with the man sitting across from her, but you make eye contact from across the way. Her smile is wide and your regret is palpable as she comes bounding over with the energy of a woman half her age. 

“You wouldn’t believe the state Nick was in, rushing back to camp like that,” she barked in laughter once she got closer enough, “Hauling ass and bitchin’ up a storm about non-violent policies.” Her smile was indeed infectious and looking over at Ezra earned you a sly apologetic look. 

“Indeed, he took Calagher away in a whirlwind,” Ezra supplies, staying glued to your side. Juno says something back but Ezra’s hand is worming it’s way into your back pocket. It was a familiar gesture, one that never failed to send your heart into your throat. It started as a rather lewd gesture, obviously, turned into something fond when he’d hook his thumbs in your belt loops instead of outright palming your ass in the middle of the day. 

The longer the conversation went on, the more impatient you grew. Your leg jitters as you shift your weight from one foot to the other, helplessly hoping to somehow excuse yourself but Ezra had other ideas. You straightened when the conversation lulled, ready to interrupt but Ezra tugged you back. Your back pressed against his side, his large palm guiding you back by your pants.

“You’re on extraction tomorrow, are you not?” Ezra’s grin was feline and you wanted to huff your annoyance, “we’ll be seeing each other bright and early then.” Juno chitters in agreement and misses the look Ezra throws you. A salacious grin not far behind, a shiver ran down your spine.

“My companion has come a long way here,” He’s talking to Juno but his eyes never leave you, “I suppose I should be showing her to sanctity, isn’t that right Sunny?” Your voice fails you, your core clenching pitifully around nothing. His hand wanders out of Juno’s sight, to squeeze and pet anywhere he could reach. He apparently never expected an answer anyway, as his lips curl viciously as bids a sweet farewell to Juno. Who simply smiles and returns the well wishes, and you have to give her credit, she seemed blissfully unaware of the storm raging in your core. You just hoped that meant you kept your arousal off your face somehow, only Ezra was there to lay eyes on your heated skin and lust-blown pupils. 

You separate from the older woman with as warm a smile as you can muster as Ezra leads you away. It wasn’t much longer until he steered you to a stop in front of one of the many identical tents, practically pressed up against two others and bleached white by the suns. A small wind-chime hung over the flaps leading into the tent. 

The inside was small and cramped, crates of equipment fit awkwardly around the support beam. Only a little cot squished between hard plastic chests with sharp edges, not even enough room to pace. He must be going mad. All around it, you could hear the others in the neighboring tent rustling about and talking amongst themselves, the light from their lamps flooding through the paper thin walls. 

He reaches up to click on a portable lamp hanging from the support beam, it washes the space in a pungent green-yellow haze. Unlit candles sat upon the unused crates, some melted onto the case from use. Blankets were piled high on the cot and arranged to make it look even the slightest bit comfortable, it warmed you to see his habit for hoarding blankets never changed. 

You must have been showing your weariness because Ezra chuckled, “It gets worse, lad two tents down snores like a thunderstorm.” 

“This has got to be against some safety law,” you crow, the support beam practically swayed in the wind, “many by the looks of it.” You shed your layers, your blood pumping too hot for so many clothes. The heat between your legs throbbed, you already felt dizzy with it. The more you dwelled on him, his warmth and how his hand felt ghosting around your waist; the lighter your head felt. You had almost forgotten the effect Ezra seemed to have on you, spinning your world around until all you can focus on is him. 

Ezra humored you with a hum of agreement as he peeled himself methodically out of his outer layers. You see the strain of the weighted pack he had to wear around the dig site in his hunched shoulders. He stepped over to the stack of crates he’d been using as a desk and leaned down to pick up a jug of water along with a clean rag. 

“You’ll be delighted to know that this was an upgrade for me,” Ezra lets the rag soak up the clear water before ringing it out, “my last tent was almost half the size, until the previous tenant had an unfortunate accident leaving this one unoccupied.” 

“Oh? Did you have to convince Calagher?” 

“Hardly, first come first serve,” Ezra grinned, “his words.” 

You dropped yourself onto the cot with a sigh, stretching your legs out in front of you. You felt sand in the heel of your boots and gritted your teeth a bit, Ezra always did have a fair bit more resolve than you ever did because you couldn’t have stayed here as long as he has. Thought you suppose that was more or less due to Ezra’s personal philosophy to generally have a good time no matter where he went. 

Even so, he could only work with so much here. 

You watched Ezra peel himself out of his shirt and run the rag down his chest, you could see his ribs pushing against his skin. He didn’t seem to mind your gaze, if the coy look he shot you was any indication. Behind the tent, you could hear an argument between three people echoing over the sound of the desert. 

Inwardly, he preened at the attention and rolled around in it, “The first thing I will do when we leave is take a bath and not get out for hours.” He mused wistfully, he missed the feeling of actual water on his skin almost as much as he missed you on his skin. 

“We can do that,” you say fondly, “with all the hot water you want, and more books than you know what to do with.” You could do that for him, at the very least. 

The tips of Ezra’s ears burned, warmth welling up in his chest as he beamed at you. He takes you in, your lidded gaze is heavy on him but it doesn’t distract him from the way your chest is rising and falling. Dropping the rag back into the bowl, he redressed and lowered the brightness on the lamp above his head. 

“Well until you stumble upon a tent of your own, we’re going to have to get cozy.” his smile almost seemed apologetic but the sparkle in his eye said differently. The promise of sleeping next to a warm body had you dizzy, and you had a feeling he missed it just as much. 

“What ever will we do?” You chime dramatically, a distinctly feline smile spreading over your features. He moves to sit beside you on the cot, your legs pressed together as it dips under your collective weight. 

“I’m sure we’ll find a way, you always were easy to entertain, lotus,” His jab was barbless but nevertheless you already had a retort ready on your tongue. 

“If I’m that  _ easy _ , what do you categorize yourself as?” Ezra’s pension for warding off boredom often having landed him between a rock and a hard place, that’s something that clearly had not changed with age. He knew it too, his lips curled knavishly under the dark shadows thrown from the lamp. 

“Nothing better I’m afraid,” that was low-balling it, “We make quite the pair, don’t we, Sunny?” His smile was conspiratorial as he faced you, and it felt like the first time he could shake off the tense knots weighing his shoulders down. Your watchful gaze had never left him, waiting patiently for him to lower his shoulders from around his ears and crawl back into your home and hearth. 

Your smile only grows wider at his words and he hardly even feels himself move towards you until you are inches apart. He doesn’t want you to waste any time closing the gap between you, so you don’t. Surging up, you catch his lips with yours and drag him into your embrace. He matches your fervor with his own, groaning unabashed into the warm, wet cavern of your mouth. 

An abrupt crash a few tents down has you both jolting, breaking the kiss and you can hear the occupants swearing up a storm. The camp was still alive with activity, even this late into the night and it had you working harder to swallow any of his soft noises. 

You gently shush Ezra before pulling him back to you, “We make a sound and the whole camp comes running,” you whisper during the split second your lips part. 

“Discretion we must have then, dove, just-” He claims your mouth in another heated kiss, “don’t stop.” 

You would never deny such a beautiful request. You don’t let an inch of space between you, your lips hot on his throat and hands pawing away the shirt he just put on. His skin was feverish under your palms, his heart hammering in his chest at the thrill he’d long wished for. You barely brush over his cock, tented in his pants before he’s jolting and pulling away. 

He jerks away, breathing heavily to paw at your belt, “Let me feel you-  _ please _ ,” he doesn’t waste any time shoving his hand down your pants and finds your dripping folds, his fingers parting them greedily and you could feel your slick drip into his palm.

He moaned like he’d just sunk his cock into you.

His fingers glided up and down your slit, more so just for the feeling as he cupped your mound and moved your wetness around. His slick fingers found your clit and swirled it around in feather light touches, that alone nearly burned a hole through you. 

“Not even in my dreams did you feel this soft, this warm-” He chokes when you grind down on his hands, his finger putting more pressure on your clit. His fingers jumped and ached, unused to the motions normally done with his dominant hand. But that simply wouldn’t do, he swirled your clit faster and soaked up your desperate whimpers as you clutched at him. 

You tugged your shirt up and over your head and moved to shimmy your pants off, hooking your thumbs on the waistband and pulling down sharply. You shush him gently when his hand is pushed away and he whines, giving you the saddest doe eyes possible. You reach out and pull his shirt off his torso as he kicks his shoes off followed by his canvas pants. His cock, near purple at the tip and weeping, practically begged you to put it in your mouth. 

Like he knew what you were thinking, he put his hand out to stop you, “Now wait a tick there, little one, I cannot have you finishing me before we’ve even started.” His voice drops to a whisper as his hand reaches for your breast band, the warmth of your seeping through it as he palms one in his hand before pulling it away. You find yourself agreeing, your thoughts are consumed by him and his touch is only itching you closer and closer to bliss.

Pressing delicate kisses to his chest and shoulder, you ease him down to sit on the edge of the cot. 

What’s left of his right arm was still bandaged, still too raw to expose and he was covered in bruises. 

You swing your leg over his and settle in his lap, his hand is sweeping up and down your body, grabbing handfuls of you where he could and pressing searing kisses to the pillowy flesh of your breasts. His tongue finding and laving over your nipple, leaving it wet and stiff. 

“Discretion is necessary, dreamscape, but,” he groans when you settle yourself directly over his stiff cock and grind down wetly, “so is endurance, but that might be out of my control.” He chuckles weakly against your skin. 

You roll your hips over him again and the train of thought leaves his head entirely. He curses into the little space between you, arm banding over your back and encouraging you to rock your hips against him. The feeling of his silky head parting your dripping folds is near divine and you both groan far too loudly, it echoes in the small space and you both freeze. Listening to hear anyone close by who could have heard, and melting back into one another when you don’t hear anything at all besides the far away voices of  _ HQ. _

You pull away, rising to your knees and reaching down to notch his cock at your entrance. Ezra didn’t even look like he was breathing. You both inhaled sharply when the head of his cock glided smoothly inside, your hands sweeped over and around his shoulders as you sank down on him a little bit more. 

Your hips stuttered as he opened you up bit by bit, his dark eyes glued to your face, watching your brow furrow when you take him deeper and deeper. 

“I understand why we pray to a female god,” Ezra grunts, keeping his voice a quiet murmur, “there is nothing that exists that is more celestial than this soft, _ dripping cunt _ -” his voice gets more strained and breaks off into a moan when your ass settles on his lap, his cock firmly nestled in your weeping pussy. 

His hand grips your hip bruisingly hard, trying to ease himself off the edge he’s already on. He was already shaking and you had only just sheathed him inside you. But you lifted off him anyway, his cock leaving you coated in your slick before swiftly dropping yourself back down on him with a wet sucking sound. 

“Fuck- Sunny, _ wait,”  _ he’s fighting to keep you in place with his arm anchoring you to him, his breath warm against your skin, “you’re going to be the death of me…” He sounded wrecked and looked it too, his teeth indented in his lip and the sheen of sweat on his forehead. It was as breathtaking as it always had been, you had to see more. 

You broke his hold on you to rise and fall on him again, the cot creaked alarmingly and it’s steel legs crunched loudly against the rough, gritty sand. It got even worse when you tried to bounce on him faster, you had to slow to a crawl, only moving your hips as smoothly as you could. Even then, the cot creaked its protest and you gritted your teeth. Ezra stopped you and the whine that came out of you was straight up undignified but he was persistent. 

“What if Nick and Juno come back, hm? What if they hear us? There would be no hiding what we were doing,” he said with a note of glee so endearing it made your heart ache. 

You huff, wishing you truly cared enough to be embarrassed by such a possibility. But Ezra seems to already know this and shares a secretive smile with you, nuzzling into you, “I know that look, sweetling, do not tempt me into plain debauchery, I do not have the willpower to say no.” He pleaded softly to you as he pressed his mouth to yours. 

He swiveled and dumped you on you back on the cot, pillowed by all the blankets. You welcomed him when he eased himself between your legs, his calloused hand gripping your shoulder for balance when he felt so heady and overcome by you. Your legs curled against his sides as your thighs parted for him, revealing your glistening folds. The air leaves his lungs in a heady groan, he felt savage to be salivating over your sopping heat. 

His heated gaze has you feeling intoxicated as you reach down to draw him into you, his eyes glittered when he slid into you and bottomed out with a forceful breath of air. 

He trembled as he readjusted his grip, already so close to the edge it made tears bead at his waterline. But the last thing you wanted was for him to hold back, just for the sake of dragging it out. It’s been far too long since you’d had the pleasure of watching him fall apart for you so beautifully. 

Your legs wrap around his waist tightly and hold him to you as you push the sweat dampened hair away from his face, “No, no give it to me- it’s okay,” you coo to him, rubbing your thumb over the apples of his cheeks, “ _ Please, _ just don’t stop.” You’ll feel embarrassed about the way you whine for him later but the way he kissed you melted every thought out of your head. 

You swallow each other's moan as he drives himself into you with a hard thrust, he heeds your words because he wastes no time setting a hard and fast pace. The cot is more steady and doesn’t protest until he thrusts up hard enough to shove you further up the cot. Your yelp is smothered by his hand coming down to slap over your mouth as he continues his rough pace. You wanted to hiss at him to be more quiet but his hand muffled any sound you made until all he could hear was punched-out little moans that were loud enough to pass through his palm. He groaned his pleasure and you could tell he was trying his best to be quiet but he couldn’t help the desperate praise he whispered to you. 

“You get wet so fast it’s fucking precious,” he purrs darkly, nose pressed into your cheek as you writhe against him, a wet shuttering cry muted against his hand as he sinks in even deeper, “Hm? Right here, bunny?” the sound of your broken hiccup satisfying something deep in his gut. 

He hammered his hips down into you half a dozen times more before his hips stuttered, you fucked yourself back onto him through his orgasm. Hips lifting and taking him deeper, as his teeth find the delicate flesh of your neck. He curls himself over you, breathing you in and trailing hot, wet kisses down your throat as he rocked in and out of you slowly. 

“I surely do not deserve your patronage, but you have spoiled me, my sun.” His voice is just above a whisper, raspy and dark but you simply shake your head in response. 

“If that is true, then I do not deserve such loyal devotion.” You insist, your legs hooked around his waist, He brings his head up from where he had been sucking marks into your skin to meet your gaze. You feel him twitch inside you. 

His hand leaves your hip to brush down over your clit, before leaning forwards to spit on it, enraptured by the way it slides down your opening and around his cock. He presses soft circles to your clit, the way you clench down on his hardening, over sensitive cock has him intoxicated. 

He groans into the skin of your shoulder as he hunches over you, “Coming here was not a wise move, my girl, because now you and your candied pussy are never going to get rid of me.” He starts to rock into you again, his pace slowed to a crawl but the pleasure blindsided you all the same. 

Your teeth sink into the plush of your lip as you try to make your whimpers as soundless as possible, which you fail miserably at when Ezra pulls his cock nearly all the way out and slams it back in. You claw at his back as he grinds his cock deep, pulling out again slowly and pushing back in with enough force to jolt you up the cot each time. 

“Shhh, my girl, hush those pretty  _ fucking noises- _ ” He ground his hips against yours forcefully, you writhe against him with your mouthing hanging open as he sinks a little deeper, “looking at you, opening right up for me.”

His name bubbled up in the wet sob as you clung to him, each slow, hard thrust flattening you into the cot while hitting something blinding inside you. He scooped his hips and hit that shredding bliss inside you three more times before you lock down and gush around his cock. Your orgasm bulldozed you flat and your ears were ringing, You don’t realize Ezra is talking until the blood stops rushing to your head. 

“-ing celestial,  _ yes _ \- Soak me, dear girl,  _ just like that. _ ” 

His voice rumbled in his chest and you could feel it from where you had curled into him. You didn’t taste blood but your lip throbbed from how hard you bit down on it. Ezra scoops up your chin and sucks your bottom lip into his mouth. He fucks down into you through your orgasm, covering you with his body as your limbs shake. You could hear him calling you his sweet little thing, cooing to you about how good your pussy feels as he rocked into you slow enough where the cot didn’t creak. It lasted a pitifully short time.

The sound of skin on skin grew loud, so much so that you were positive anyone outside could hear how his hips dropped onto yours as he plunged his cock in and out of you. You were even more mortified when the sound of your pussy sucking his cock back in after every stroke was even louder. 

“E-Ezra- fuck _ Ezra _ ,” your hiss melts into a choked moan, “it’s too-”

“It’s too _ what _ ? Hm?” Ezra coos when you slap your hand over your mouth to muffle the moan that was punched out of you as he bottomed out in you again, “Is it too good? Am I fucking my dear girl too good?”

“ _ Loud _ ,” you mewl, you voice much higher than you wanted, “it’s too loud,  _ baby please _ -”

“Look at you,” he ignores your plea completely. You don’t even know where your gaze was focused but it snaps back to him, your cunt squeezes down when you see his face flushed and arms trembling as he forces himself to slow again, “My goddess can’t even see straight.” Ezra can’t help but slam his hips against yours one last time and your vision goes fuzzy and soft.

He doesn’t give you any time to reply when he begins a torturously  _ slow  _ pace, and it has you shaking apart at the seams. He pushes his face against your temple and you pull his body down onto yours, he shushes you gently as his hand finds the back of your neck. Gripping it tightly and using you to steady himself as he continuously rolls his hips, feeding his cock in and out of your pussy with measured strokes and as quietly as possible. 

Footsteps against rough sand startle you both, Ezra’s hips stutter but don’t stop. He couldn’t bring himself to stop even if he wanted to. He holds in the string of colorful curses as his eyes flutter shut, his cock dragging deliciously against your walls and making you clamp down in bliss. 

The footsteps only get closer and they pass in front of the tent and Ezra buries himself deep inside you, making the cot creak in distress as he flattens you into it. The footsteps go right and stop in front of the tent beside Ezra’s. Oh you’ve got to be  _ kidding _ -

“Oh Nick isn’t back yet? I thought he’d be finished by now…” You hear Juno, talking to herself as she pulls back the flaps of the tent to enter and just then Ezra pulls out of you with a lewd wet sound. He throbbed and then he was right on the edge of cumming from the sound alone, you swallow his groan as he slants his lips over yours. His cock glides over your silky folds, your slick clinging to him and dripping back down to your cunt. The head of his cock rolls over your clit and white hot pleasure jolts through you, your mouth falling open in a silent cry. 

Juno is rustling around in her tent, mumbling to herself and you hear the ripping of a ration pack. Ezra has his hand around your jaw, dark lustful eyes glued to your face as he slowly fills you up again. His cock twitches as he watches you melt under him and he so desperately wants to sing your praises but instead settles for licking into your warm mouth. His fingers squeeze your jaw and your mouth parts easily for him.

“That’s it, such a pretty vision.” He is only a breath away as he whispers to you, lips ghosting against your own. With each slow drag of his cock against your walls, you feel yourself coming apart more and more. But even then, the salacious sound of your wetness resounds much too loudly for your tastes and your ears burn. 

Much to your horror, Ezra breaks out into a devious grin, chest shaking with a silent chuckle, “You can hear that can’t you, Sunny?” His mouth is pressed up against your ear and you gush around him, “Does your pussy feel that good? I can hear her singing my praises for all the world to hear,” he purrs in your ear as your nails dig into his back.

“Is that what you wanted?” His tone is crude and the snapping of his hips came faster, “You want everyone to know how good I make you feel?” The cot creaked again with the weight of his thrusts and fuck-  _ fuck he needs to be quiet _ . At least that what one part of you was saying, the other half was silently pleading with him to go faster and  _ harder- _

Juno is outside again, her footsteps going back the way she came. Her boot scuffed the ground as she passed the front of the tent but couldn’t focus on her walking away when Ezra opens your mouth crudely, his fingers curling around your jaw tightly. 

You feel more than see him spit, more due to the fact your eyes rolled to the back of your head. You feel it hit your tongue and you swallow immediately, reveling in the groan that escapes him. 

“Shit- oh shit _ shitshit,” _ You can feel the quiver of his thigh from the way he’s cradling your hips, gripping you tight by the back of your neck, “How do you feel this good?” 

He slowed to a crawl inside you, panting into your mouth and you feel him throb inside you. Not yet, he didn’t want this to be over- _ not yet.  _ He wanted to bathe you in more pleasure than you knew what to do with, he wants to drown himself in you and let the planets turn above him without a care as he loses himself in you. It’s been so long since he's gotten lost in anyone but himself, with you it’s like bathing in the sun. 

You whine when he slows again, loudly. You were wound so tight even the slightest forceful thrust would have you cumming instantly but the pleasure rolling over you was too good to even complain. Each slow, torturous roll of his hips was met with white hot, sparking pleasure licking at your heels. You never wanted to stop. 

The cot scrapes the gritty floor loudly but neither of you really hear it, and Ezra all but slams his cock in and out of you at a vicious pace. He slides his hand up the side of your face from its place around the back of your neck, you instantly open your mouth when his thumb brushes against your lip. Your mouth was furnace hot and the way you sucked his thumb into your mouth felt like liquid velvet.

“There-  _ fuck _ , there you are, my girl,” You hollow your cheeks and swirl your tongue over the top of his thumb, “always so pretty with something in your mouth, my sweet.” His words were sickeningly saccharine but the harsh pounding of his cock had you bouncing from the force alone told a much different story to his waning control. The wet slapping sound echoed around the tent but you couldn’t have cared less. 

“Ah-  _ mph Ethraa-” _ You moan around his finger as he presses down on your tongue with the pad of his thumb, cooing at you when you opened up sweetly for him. You couldn’t stop the little whimpers tumbling out of your mouth even if you wanted to, nails digging into his forearm as he railed into you. 

You can barely get a strangled yelp out to tell him how close you were but he clamped his hand over your mouth and somehow pounded into you  _ even harder. _

“This sweet little cunt just keeps taking me deeper-” He slams his cock in to the hilt, grinding and stuffing as much as he could into you, “and  _ deeper.”  _ Your chokes moan was far too loud even with his hand over your mouth but each time he ground himself against you, your legs shook and you could feel tears prick the corners of your eyes. Your orgasm comes out of nowhere and you tremble as it burns through you with a muffled shout that sounded a lot like Ezra’s name. 

You clench down in a vice grip and milk his cock, he only lasts precious seconds before he’s dragged over the edge with you. Slamming his cock in you once, then twice as he cums inside your wet heat with a throaty groan. Your name was hot on his lips as he strokes his cock in and out of you shallowly, the feeling of you milking him dry making him light headed.

“Oh-h fuck yes,” His hips stutter but you keep your legs wrapped tightly around him, you don’t think you could move them even if you tried, “Look at you fucking take me like that _ oh- _ ” He cut himself off with a breathless groan as he pulls out and watches his spend spill out around his cock. 

He sits back on his heels, detaching his hand from its iron grip on your shoulder to spread your pussy with his thumb. Spreading your combined mess around and watching in delight as your body shook from overstimulation alone, but you let him play when you see the needy look in his eyes. 

“Oh my mellow sun, show me,” he whispered to you, not taking his eyes away from your pussy. Your face burned at him scrutinizing you like this, but the clear joy on his blissed out face was worth any embarrassment as you brought your knees towards your chest and spread your lips. Putting yourself on display for him, it felt almost as filthy as the cum dripping out of you and onto the sheets.

“There’s my girl…all pretty and pink.” he breathed, air shooting out of his chest at the sight of you. His cock twitches in interest, his eyes flick up to yours, dazed and lidded as you coax him down next to you. He floats down to your side, it’s a tight fit on the small cot but he’s more than accepting of having your weight blanketed over him. 

There was a pause, feeling the cool evening air flow throughout the tent and feeling the sweat dry on your skin. You listened for anyone who may have been close, knowing damn well you were far too loud and that  _ someone _ must have heard. But you hear nothing, thank the stars you don’t know how you would have been able to handle that. Pressing silent kisses to any part of him you could reach, you both bathed in the pleasure of having the other close again.

He pulled back, his hand cupping the back of your head as you turned to look up at him. The dull tan tent washed away and the sounds of people around you stirring in their sleep faded into the background. If you imagined hard enough it was almost like seeing him in your own bed again, safe and warm where you could watch over him in peace. That place was not here, and Ezra looks far too tired. 

“What is going on in that mind of yours, sweetling?” His breath fans against your ear as he curls his arm around you, nuzzling into the pillow of your cheek, “Talk to me, won’t you?” 

You push up on your elbows, reach up to push the hair out of his eyes. It's gotten much longer than you’ve ever seen it, much like the crows feet around his eyes. That fierceness burning in you told you he deserved more than this, and every part of you agreed. 

“Listen, I’ll stay here, with you if that's what you really want but,” You bite your lip, even if he says no you just wanted to put the offer out there in the open. 

“We could-” you swallow when your voice begins to crack, “we could leave right now, just say the word and we could just... _ go.” _ The words get stuck on your tongue but you pushed through, “My ship is docked only a few minutes away, we could pack up and- _ and leave _ .” 

Ezra only smiled, that lopsided grin that glittered dangerously in the low light as he brought your forehead down to his own,“I’ve only ever heard you say that in my dreams.” 

“Take the cases too, hm? Two, maybe three?” His grin was wicked as he peeled away from you, the intensity of his gaze burned through you as you felt your pulse spike with the prospect, “stealing me away in the dead of night, why not indulge a bit more, my moon?” 

“Talking me into thievery, now?” You faked incredulousness, but you were thinking how two or three is lowballing your potential, you could easily take four, “Is it not enough that I’m stealing you away like a burglar? I have to rob them of their hard earned possessions?” With each question his grin got a little wider, eyes sparkling black as he mouthed at the delicate skin of your neck. 

“I didn’t realize you’d grown dull, darling,” His voice sharp with false viciousness as he sucked a mark into your skin, “But no, it’s not enough when you’ve spoiled me by bringing me to the stars so many times, love, I've come to expect it now.” 

Your chest shakes with silent laughter, a bemused smile on your face as you card your hands through his hair, “Oh, you think all is forgiven? With your cute little postcards?” You mocked a pout as your fingers tangled harshly into his hair, pulling him away from you neck and looking him in the eye. His face was flushed, pupils blown wide as he rutted his hardening cock against your thigh. 

“After worrying about you for two years, I expected a bit more than a postcard,  _ darling.” _ You say, harsh but it was true. You understood his fear, but you wanted him to understand yours too. 

“However,” You loosen your grip and slide your hand down to the back of his neck, pushing your thigh against his cock and watching with delight as he sighed and rutted down on you harder, “I was thinking more along the lines of four cases.”

His groan was music to your ears, looking up at you with the sweetest doe eyes as he pulled you to him. It was desperate and messy in the way he slanted his mouth of yours, pulling your leg across his waist to grind his cock against your slick, puffy folds. You swallowed his high moan when your pussy drools, drenching his cock with a wet sound when he pushes against you. You chuckle into his needy kiss, humming your approval. 

“Now, make haste little thief,” His lips hovered over yours, “we’ve stayed long enough.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
